1. WSAS Results Released
Mathematics results on this year’s Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS) examinations continued an upward trend and showed some closing of achievement gaps. Reading results remained stable, though 10th-graders had the highest percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced in the past five years (76.3 percent).
In science, student achievement at grades four, eight, and 10 showed gains in the percentage of students proficient or advanced between 2005-06 and 2009-10. In language arts and social studies performance was stable over five years.
“I am pleased with improved student performance on this statewide assessment,” said State Superintendent Tony Evers. “It’s important to celebrate areas of student success; however, our work is far from done. Achievement gaps are too large. We must accelerate slow and steady gains in mathematics and focus more attention on improving reading ability.”
The WSAS results also show that student poverty continued to increase. In the 2000-01 school year, 14.4 percent of 10th-graders, 20.6 percent of eighth-graders, and 26.4 percent of fourth-graders were eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. This year, 32.4 percent of 10th-graders, 36.3 percent of eighth-graders, and 41.2 percent of fourth-graders were eligible.
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2. Principals of the Year
The 2010 Wisconsin Principals of the Year have been named by Tony Evers, state superintendent of public instruction, and Jim Lynch, executive director for the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators (AWSA). They are:
- Mike Cady, Principal, Franklin High School, Franklin;
- Barry Kamrath, Principal, Bloomer Middle School, Bloomer;
- Myra Misles-Krhin, Principal, Barlow Park Elementary School, Ripon; and
- Jay Hausser, Associate Principal, Poynette Middle and Elementary schools, Poynette.
These educational leaders employ strong leadership to contribute to student academic achievement and a positive school climate. They will be recognized at their respective AWSA workshops and conferences in January and February 2011.
The Principal of the Year Selection Committee is made up of representatives from AWSA, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), Wisconsin Association of School Boards, Wisconsin Education Association Council, Wisconsin PTA, and a former National Distinguished Principal.
Nominations come from fellow administrators, school board members, teachers, students, or parents.
The Wisconsin Principal of the Year program is supported by AWSA Corporate Partners.
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3. Mathematics Program for High Schools
The Early Math Placement Tool (EMPT) is a free program sponsored by the UW-System, the Wisconsin Technical College System, and the Department of Public Instruction in conjunction with Wisconsin high schools.
The program is designed to encourage high school juniors to take mathematics their senior year, improve students’ overall math preparation, and provide students, teachers, and parents with relevant feedback.
Assessments are available online or in PDF format. Students receive placement recommendations and a guide to the math requirements for each major on all UW and WTCS campuses. Teachers receive summary data by class and comparison information based on incoming UW freshmen.
More information is available at the EMPT website.
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4. Cost-saving Innovation in Menomonee Falls
The Menomonee Falls School District will save tens of thousands of dollars next year, and more in the future, because of one innovative move--literally. This summer, district offices will move into the Village of Menomonee Falls Municipal Building.
The village has had vacant space ever since having to lay off employees. The school district has meanwhile been occupying an old, energy-inefficient elementary school.
Building on a tradition of district-village partnership, Superintendent Keith Marty and Village Manager Mark Fitzgerald imagined moving the two units in together. "As we talked, I realized that physical proximity would increase the likelihood of working together [more]," says Marty.
Clerical and custodial expenses will decrease immediately. Marty contemplates future cost-saving partnerships in buildings and grounds, human resources, technology, library media, or administration.
The district's $50,000 utility costs will go down to $8,000. Add in a $30,000 lease to the village, and the school district is still saving, while bringing revenue to the municipality.
Though not all school districts and villages have identical boundaries, Marty notes that "everyone's going to have to do business different going forward." He welcomes calls at 262-255-8440 from anyone exploring this business concept.
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5. Oconto LifeSmarts Team Headed for Miami Beach
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Oconto High School topped the Varsity Wisconsin LifeSmarts competition and will travel to Miami Beach to compete nationally, April 24-27.
Birchwood Middle School won savings bonds at the first Wisconsin Junior Varsity LifeSmarts competition.
A program of the National Consumers League, LifeSmarts calls itself "the ultimate consumer challenge," an educational opportunity that develops the consumer and marketplace knowledge and skills of teenagers in a fun way and rewards them for this knowledge.
Teams of four to five teens, coached by an adult participant, compete in the game-show style competition. LifeSmarts is open to all teens in the U.S. in high school--and now, middle school students may compete in the Junior Varsity program.
LifeSmarts topics have been chosen to encourage and reward knowledge in the areas that matter most to consumers and workers in today's marketplace: personal finance; health and safety; the environment; technology; and consumer rights and responsibilities.
Next year, coaches may register teams beginning August 1. Wisconsin's district level competitions will be held on-line from September 13 through January 14, 2011. The Varsity and Junior Varsity statewide competitions take place next February.
For more information contact celia@uwm.edu or joan.kinney@sbcglobal.net.
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